Section 400.14 change

[bphgravity]

Section 400.14 has been expanded to allow flexible cords and cables to be installed in raceways for the purposes of protection from damgage as long as the length does not exceed 50 feet.

Reading the proposal 6-95, one of the panel members commented, "Permitting flexible cords and cables to be run unrestricted as regards to length in a raceway above ground could create and unsafe installation." How? What happens when a cord or cable is in a raceway that makes it unsafe?

Can 50 feet now be used as a guideline for other applications when raceways are used to protect cables? For example, section 334.15(B), Section 300.12 Exception, or even Section 250.86 Exception 2. I know this change is for industrial establishments only, but has it been determined that a "short section of raceway" for the protection of cables is as much as 50 feet?

[ November 24, 2004, 07:33 AM: Message edited by: bphgravity ]

 

[charlie]

Re: Section 400.14 change

400.14 Protection from Damage. Flexible cords and cables shall be protected by bushings or fittings where passing through holes in covers, outlet boxes, or similar enclosures.

In industrial establishments where the conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons service the installation, flexible cords and cables shall be permitted to be installed in aboveground raceways that are no longer than 15 m (50 ft) to protect the flexible cord or cable from physical damage. Where more than three current-carrying conductors are installed within the raceway, the allowable ampacity shall be reduced in accordance with Table 400.5

Many times a panel will permit an installation with a limit to make sure it works and see how many proposals come in the next cycle. If a panel gets a lot of proposals to extend, raise, lower, shorten, etc. the dimension with good substantiations, then the dimension will be changed.

A case in point are the tap rules in Article 240, Part VIII. 240-92(b)(1) had limits of 50, 75 and 75 feet in the 1999 Code but in the 2002 Code, those limits were changed to 100 feet, unlimited, and unlimited.

 

[petersonra]

Re: Section 400.14 change

Since many people routinely run cables in raceways anyway, maybe they just decided to allow it since it is so commonly done anyway.

[ November 24, 2004, 09:13 AM: Message edited by: petersonra ]